Discharge-chamber for water-wheels.



W. M. WHITE.

DISCHARGE CHAMBER FOR WATER WHEELS. APPLICATION man FER-213M916.

Patented Apr. 30, 1918.

2 SHEETS-SHEET l- IIIIIIIIIII L W. M. WHITE. osscrmnss CHAMBER ron WATERw HEET 2 Apr. 2 SHEETS-S ammoz IX W I M WW Patented HEELS.

APPLICATION FILED FEB 28 1916 .wheels coaxially mounted and oppositelyTo all whom it may concern:

I DISGHGlE-CHAMBER FOR W ATER-WHEELS.

Be it known that, 1, WILLIAM M. WHITE, acitizen of the United States,residing at Milwaukee, in the county of Milwaukee and State ofWisconsin, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inDischarge- Chambers for. Water-Wheels, of which the following is aspecification.

'One object of the invention is to provide an eflicient dischargechamber for water disposed to each other.

A further object of the invention is to provide for the regain'ofpressure from velocity within symmetrical conduits disposedconcentrically about the axis of two coaxially mounted oppositelydisposed water wheels. 1

Another object of the invention is to provide a center discharge chamberfor said oppositely disposed water wheels having a construction suitablefor high eficiency and accommodated to shortestdistance between therunners of said water wheels. 1

Another object of the invention is topro vide a suitable dischargechamber for accommodating the water discharged from two coaxiallymounted, oppositely disposed water wheels embodying conoidal chambersdisposed substantially symmetrically about the axis Off and located atthe discharge of each of the two said coaxially mounted waterwheels,said conoidal chambers being of 38,373, dated July 6, 1915. Reference isalso made to my co-pending application Serial No. 83,259 filed March 10,1916.

The invention consists of the several features hereinafter set forth,and is more parhereol.

Tn the drawings; Figure l is a transverse vertical section through twowater wheels coaxially mounted, oppositely disposed, fitted with a formofcenter' discharge chamber, embodying the invention.

Fig.- 2 is a horizontal plan view of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a transversevertical section through two coaxially mounted, oppositely disposedwater wheels and center discharge Specification of Letters JEatent.

Application filed. JFebruary'28, 1916. Serial 1W0. 80,850.

- Patented Apiudll, and

chamber embodying hydraucone regainers disposed at the discharge of eachof the water wheels.

. Fig. 4 is aplan view of Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a vertical section showin a mod-v ification wherein a pair ofwater w eels are shown having the discharge ends of the tubes flaredoutwardly.

Before entering into a detailed description of the invention I shalldescribe briefly the usual form of center discharge chamber forcoaXi-ally mounted, oppositely disposed twin water wheels, and describebriefly some of the results of my experiments relatmg to my lnvention.

The usual construction of center discharge chambers for coaxiallymounted, oppositely disposed twin' water wheels consists of two elbows,each connecting with one of the twin runners, and the discharge ends ofthe el viding a common outlet for the water passe ing through bothwheels. The elbows are usually made of increasing cross sectional areain the direction of flow in an attempt to regain pressure energy fromkinetic energy contalned in the water discharged at high velocity fromthe water wheel runners.

T have found by experiments that an elbow of increasingcapacitythroughout its length in the direction of flow is an exceedingly poordevice for the regain of pressure energy from kinetic energy containedin the water flowing at high velocity into the entrance of the elbow,and experiments have shown that when the water issues from the dischargeend of an elbow, constructed with increasingcross sectional area in thedirection of flow, it issues therefrom at widely difierent velocitiesthroughout the cross section of its discharge end. This is true of anelbow of constant cross sectional area throughout its length, but thevariation in velocity is augmented in the'case of an elbow of increasingcapacity in the direction at high velocity into the entrance of suchconduit, when the velocity throughout the stream flow at entrance isapproximately uniform, and especially when any variation in the streamflow is symmetrical about the axis of the tube. I v It is evident thatthe velocities of the discharge water from a .water wheel are subaxisinline with the axis of the runner may be advantageously employed.Iirorder to permit of the use of straight axis regainers so that theirfunctions will notbe impaired and so that they may be used in connectionwith a common discharge chamber occupyinga small space as compared tothe usual elbow construction, I make use of a deflecting surface withinthe chamber.

1 have found by experiments that a deflecting surface may be setopposite to the end of such regaining conduit and may be disposed nearto the end .of the conduit and forman annular outlet between the end ofthe regaining conduit and the deflecting surface, without disturbing theregaining effect of such conduit, and I have further found that byplacing the deflecting surface in proper relation to the regainingconduit a slight increase of the regaining eflect of the combination isobtained.

1 am using and combining the results of these experiments in theconstruction of a center discharge chamber for two coaxially mountedwate'r wheels, and providing for renected with each of the water wheelrunners 12, 12 at the discharge end thereof, and that they discharge thewater directly I into the body of the chamber. f

- to and adjacent the end of each of the conduits a deflecting plate 18shown on the There is preferably disposed transverse drawing common toboth. It is not essential that one deflecting surface be used as twosurfaces independent of each other, 1ocated properly with=reference toeach of the dischar e ends of the conduits, would serve equa 1y well.

It will be noted that the walls of the enveloping chamber 19 surroundthe conduits 17,17 connecting with the water wheel runners, and thatpassages 20, 20 are formed between the outer surface of the conduits,

and the walls'of the enveloping chamber.

The enveloping chamber is provided with a side outlet 21, Fig. 1. It isnot essential whether one or more outlets are rovided.

The water discharged from t e runners at high velocity is caused to bedecreased in velocity inthe conduits 17 17 of increasing capacity in thedirection of flow connecting with each runner 12, 12 with consequentregain of pressure. The water discharged roln the ends of the conduitsis deflected by the deflecting surfaces 18, 18 from axial to radial inall directions, and by reason of the passageways 20, 20 between theconduits 17, 17 i and enveloping chamber 19 is caused to flow over andaround the discharge conduits to the outlet at the ends of the conduits21 from the center discharge chamber to change the direction of flow ofthe water and permit the conduits 17 17 to carry out their functionswithin a shorter distance between the runners than was necessary indevices heretofore employed.

Modern eflicient water wheels of medium and large capacity discharge thewater from the runner at relatively high velocity. This high velocitycontains kinetic energy. By transforming this kinetic energy intopressure energy it is conserved, with the result that greater efliciencyof the power development is obtained. By embodying discharge conduitsincreasing in capacity in the direction of flow having axes coincidentwith the axis of the shaft, I provide for eflicient conversion of thehigh Velocity of the, water discharged from the water wheel intopressure energy, and by employing deflecting surfaces to change thewater discharged from said conduits from axial to radial, and to gathersuch water in the chamber surrounding and inclosin the dischargeconduits, I ,am enabled to bring the water wheels closely enoughtogether to obtain a rational and inexpensive construction.

In order to obtain a more compact construction and at the same time amore efiicient means for the conversion of the kinetic energy of thewater into pressure energy, I

,connect with each'of the water wheels 11, as shown in Fig. 3, twoflared tubes, or hydraucone regainers 22, 22 and dispose adjacent theends of'the flared tubes deflecting surfaces -18 18, and thus formbetween said flared tubes 22, 22, and such deflecting surfaces 18, 18, aconoidal chamber. The wator-discharged at high velocity from therunners, 12, 12, impinges against the surfaces of a deflectingplate 18,18 respectively, is changed from axial to radial and is discharged fromthe conoidal chamber through the annular openings 23, 23, 23, 23 and iscollected within the enveloping chamber wall 19,19, constructed to formpassa eways between the outside of the flared tu es 22, 22' and thewalls 16, 19 of the enveloping chamber, and a portion of the waterflowing mamas through said annular openings is accommodated by flowingover, back of, and around the flared tubes 22, 22.

When a free circular jet of water is caused to impinge upon a flatsurface placed at right angles to the axis of the jet, the water formsitself into a conoidal'shape at point of contact with the plate, and isdischarged from the base of such conoidal shape radially in alldirections along the deflecting surface. That portion of the stream ofenlarged section at point of contact with the plate, I have termed ahydraucone.

I have performed experiments which show that the water issuing from thebase of a free hydraucone is at the same velocity as the water entering.the apex of the hydraucone.

Referring now to the action ofthe water in the conoidal cha1nber's-24,24, the water issuing from each runner is a jet of circular crosssection, .and when impinging against the plate 18, 'tends to form theshape of a free hydraucone.

The flared conduits 22, 22, connecting with the runners 12,12 areconstructed to form a conoidal chamber between the walls of the flaredtubes 22, 22 and the plates 18, 18 of slightly increasingly greatercapacity in the direction of the flow of the water, than that requiredto conform to the shape of a free hydraucone, and by reason of theincreasingly greater capacity, the water is decreased in velocity at thedischarge from the annular openings 23, 23 around the bases of" theconoidal chambers, from what it was when discharged from the runner, andI find that such change in velocity results in an increase of pressureat the discharge from the annular opening over what it was at thedischarge from the runner. l[ have termed the combination of the flaredtube and the deflecting surface disposed adjacent thereto a hydrauconeregainer. For a fuller and more complete description of the utility andnovelty thereof reference is made to Patent N 0. 1,223,843, granted tome April 24, 1917,

for apparatus for utilizing the hydraucone action of water.

For a further regain of pressure from the kinetic energy in the waterdischarged from the annular openings 23, 23 at the base of thehydraucone, there may be provided an outwardly extending portion 22forming a passageway 25, shown on the left hand conduit in Fig. 3,radial in extent, and of increasing capacity in the direction of flow. Aportion of the energy of the water due to discharging from the runner athigh velocity is transformed into pressure, first, in the conoidalchamber, and second, in the radially extended passage, is then collectedby the surrounding chamber 19 and a portion 'of the water isaccommodated through the passageways 20, 20 between the outside'of theflared tubes, and the surrounding walls of the envelopin chamber and iscaused to discharge from t e outlet 21 of the envelopinchamber.

5% reference to Figs. land 3, it will be noted that the discharge fromthe center discharge chamber connects with a conduit 26 which may bepreferably of increasing ca pacity. in the direction of flow for stillfurther decreasing the velocity with some increase of pressure.

It is usual to connect a discharge conduit constructed with increasingcapacity in the direction of flow to the outlet of a center dischargechamber as previously described, inan attempt to regam pressure from thevelocity of the water issulng therefrom, but

l have found by experiments that proper re- With the discharge chamberabove described the water flowing through the outlet of said chamberpasses therethrough at velocities which are substantially equal andsymmetrical about the axis of the tube orconduit connected at thedischarge end of the chamber, and this makes it possible to secureeflicient regaining effects with various kinds of regaining sectionscommunicatin with the outlet of the discharge cham er. 7

I may regain the energy discharged from the runners of two coaxiallymounted, oppositely disposed water wheels by connecting with each runner12, 12 conduits 17, 17,

the edges of the flared ends of which terminate short of the inclosingcasing, Fig. 5, increasing in capacity in the direction of flow andflare the ends 27, 27 of said conduits and dispose transversely and nearto the discharge ends of the conduits deflecting surfaces, 18, 18,disposed to form conoidal chambers, as described, between the flaredends 27, 27 of the said tubes and said plates 18, and also extendradially the flared portion of the conduit 27 to provide, between saidradial portion and said plate, a pas sage 28 radial in extent ofincreasing capacity in the direction of flow for a still greaterreduction of velocity for further increase of pressure. The modificationshown in Fig. 5 discloses flaring discharge conduit 17, 17, theedges ofwhich terminate short of the sides, bottom and top of the casing. Thisis a modification over the arrangement shown in Fig. 3.

In the above speclfication I have referred to twin water wheels, but thewheels need not necessarily be of the same capacity, nor even of thesame type.

I have mentioned an annular outlet for the discharge of the water fromthe conical conduits and conoidal chambers, but I do not limit myself toa continuous annular opening; by annular opening, under thisspecification, I mean an opening of essentially greater dimensioncircumferentially than axially, and especially such an opening as willpermit the water to be discharged radially to the axis of the waterwheels and permit of reasonably close proximity of the ends of theconduits and said conoidal chamber, and at the same time accommodate thewater discharged from the water wheels.

In the drawings I have shown the hydraucone chamber with a flat platefor an impinging. surface, but such impinging surface need notnecessarily be flat, but is preferably concentric with the axis of the.en-

.tering stream. The shape of the free hydraucone may be differentdepending upon the particular form of base used. I make the walls of thechamber to a shape which provides an inclosed conoidal chamber andpreferably of slightly increasingly greater capacity 1n the direction offlow than that required to conform to the shape of the free hydrauconewhich would tend to form on impact with the particular form of baseused. Some .beneficial efiect is obtained when the walls ofthe inclosingchamber are such as to provide an outlet from the conoidal chamber ofgreater capacity than the inlet at the apex, even though the walls benot made of slightly increasingly greater capacity throughout the entirelength of the conoidal chamber.

The invention thus exemplifies a discharge chamber for a pair ofcoaxially mounted, oppositely disposed water wheels provided withregaining means for regaining pressure om velocity from the waterpassing from the wheels into the chamber and with means for changing thedirection of flow of the discharge water from the wheel from axial toradial within a short axial distance whereby an eflicient, compact,regaining discharge chamber is provided.

It will be understood that the constructions herein shown are capable ofother modifications and such modifications as are within the scope of myclaims I consider within the spirit of my invention.

I do not claim specifically in this application a device for convertingvelocity head into pressure head embodying a water wheel runner havingan open space immediately therebeneath and a deflector across said spaceleaving a free passage from the wheel to the center of the deflector,nor a deflector projected across said space and arranged substantiallyat right angles to the rotative axis of the runner as these are claimedin my copending application No. 769,791, entitled Hydraulic regainers.Nor do I claim the method of operating water wheels which consists inpassin an amount of water through a wheel in excess of the amountrequired for the maximum efficiency of the wheel, nor by passing anamount of water through the wheel by reason of excess speed at excess ofthe amount required for the maximum efiiciency of the wheel. Nor byoperating discharge water wheels by means of utilizing energy ofdischarged water to produce an effective head. Nor by utilizing thecentrifugal force of the whirl of the body of water at the discharge ofthe water wheel, the same bein included in my copending application 0.774,528, for method of increasing head. Nor do I claim a pressureregaining section surrounding vthe initial regaining section andconoidal deflecting chamber connecting said regaining sections together,this and modifications having been included in my c0- pendingapplication Serial 'No. 86,388, entitled, Return regainer.

I do not claim herein the inventions as described above but showseveralelements in common for the purpose of clearness and explanation. Itherefore do not intend to dedicate to the public, matter herein Shfi".11 but not claimed which matter is in con on with the above referred toco endin a plications and which is therein ully described and claimed.

I claim:

1. The combination, with a pair of oppositely disposed coaxially mountedwater wheels, of regaining devices communicating with the dischargeoutlets of said wheels, a common discharge chamber inclosing saiddevices, and means within the chamber for abruptly changing thedirection of fiow of the water from axial to radial for regainingpressure from velocity in said chamber.

2. The combination, with a pair of coaxially mounted, oppositelydisposed water wheels, of a common discharge chamber for said wheels,means for regaining pressure from velocity from the water passing fromthe wheels into said chamber, and a member disposed within the chamberand provided with deflecting surfaces, each surface being disposedadjacent said regaining means, and substantially radial to the axis ofthe wheels.

3. The combination, with a pair of coaxially mounted oppositely disposedwater wheels, of a common discharge chamber for said wheels, and meanswithin said chamber for utilizing the hydraucone action of water allsaid wheels, regaining sections at the inlets for discharging the waterdirectly. into the main body of the chamber, and means within saidchamber for changing the direction of flow of'the water from axial tosubstantially radial in all directions without decreasing the eficiencyof the device as a regainer.

5. The combination with two coaxially mounted, oppositely disposed waterwheels discharging toward each other, of conduits connecting with thewater wheel runners, the discharge ends of said conduits being flaredoutwardly, deflecting surfaces disposed transversely and adjacent to thedischarge ends of said conduits, and a discharge chamber for saidconduits inclosing said surfaces, whereby the water discharged at highvelocity from the runners may be deflected from axial and dischargedradially in all directions.

6, The combination, with two coaxially mounted, oppositely disposedwater wheels discharging toward each other, of conduits connecting withthe water wheel runners, the discharge ends of said conduits beingflared outwardly, deflecting surfaces disposed transversely and adjacentto the ends of the discharge conduits, and a chamber inclosing saidconduits and surfaces, the walls of said inclosing chamber constructedto to a passageway for the water between the walls of the inclosingchamber and the outside of the wallsof said conduits, whereby the waterdischarged at high velocity "from the runner may be reduced in velocitywith regain of pressure in the conduits, may

be deflected from axial and discharged radially in all directions, maypass over, around and behind said flared portion, and may be dischargedthrough said passagegvays to the outlet from the inclosing chamer, a

7.. e combination, with two coamTally so mounted, oppositely disposedwater wheels discharging toward each other, of conduits comprisinghydraucone regainers connecting with the water wheel runners, and adischarge chamber for said regainers.

8. The combination, with two coaxially mounted oppositely disposed waterwheels discharging toward each other, of hydraucone regainers includingconduits connecting with-the water wheel runners, and beingsubstantially symmetrically disposed about the axisof the wheels, and adischarge chamber for said regainers.

9. The combination, with two coaxiallymounted, oppositely disposed waterwheels discharging toward each other, of hydraucone regainerscommunicating with the discharge ends of said wheels and provided withoutwardly extending portions forming radially extending passages ofincreasing capacity in the direction of flow, and a dis-- charge chamberinclosing said regainers.

10. The combination, with two coaxially mounted, oppositely disposedwater wheels discharging toward each other, of hydraucone regainerscommunicating with the discharge ends of said wheels and provided withoutwardly extending portions forming radially extending passages ofincreasing capacity in the direction of flow, said reainers beingsubstantially symmetrically disposed about the axis of the wheels, and adischarge chamber inclosing said regainers. '11. The combination, with apair of coaxi-. ally mounted, oppositely disposed water wheels, of acommon discharge chamber for said wheels provided with an outlet, meansfor regaining pressure from velocity from the water passing from thewheels into said chamber, a partition member disposed within saidchamber in a plane transverse to the axis of said wheels and providedwith de- February, 1916.

TAM M. TE. Witnesses:

